Consumer Trends: 10 Tips for Selling FMCG Brands Online

LONDON (PRNewswire) — Understanding online consumers is key to selling more online.

Last week, consumer insight from eDigitalResearch revealed that shoppers are making far fewer impulse purchases online than they are in store, leading to smaller basket sizes and decreasing sales.

This is likely to cause a headache for both supermarkets and suppliers alike. As more and more of us become increasingly dependent on digital devices and technologies, the growth of online in the grocery sector is only likely to grow.

So the question is; what can brands, suppliers and supermarkets do to sell more online?

eDigitalResearch have recently tackled the issue by investigating current online grocery shopping trends in the UK, looking at experiences and behaviours to help FMCG suppliers better understand online shoppers and sell more online.

Below are the ten trends that every FMCG brand needs to know to help them to sell more online:

Three quarters of online shoppers have shopped online for groceries. And 40% of these do so on a regular basis - a figure that is only likely to grow alongside the increasing popularity of internet connected devices.

Just one third of grocery shoppers rate their experience as 'easy'. And only 1 in 5 (19%) of those surveyed are delighted with their online grocery experience. Online grocery shopping has often been touted as the quick and easy way to avoid busy and overcrowded supermarket stores, but these results suggest that this is not always the case. Retailers need to be doing more to improve the online grocery experience.

On average, three quarters (77%) of online grocery shoppers say they take fifteen minutes or more to complete an online grocery shop, with 1 in 5 (21%) taking over half an hour. It suggests that the majority of grocery shoppers still spend some time browsing for everyday items online.

Half of online shoppers feel that an online grocery shop takes too long. 50% of those surveyed do not rate the time it takes them to complete an online grocery shop as positive, indicating a clear demand from consumers for retailers to invest, develop and improve the online grocery experience.

Saved lists or 'favourites' are the most common way to navigate around a retailers site, with around one third (35%) of those surveyed stating they use these navigational tools most often. However, this also suggests there is a high degree of browsing amongst the other online grocery shoppers, and therefore a major opportunity to influence purchase decisions as they work their way through their shopping.

Very few online shoppers always stick to their lists. In fact, an overwhelming amount of online shoppers use their list as a guide to complete an online shop, making additional, unplanned purchases here and there.

Less than 10% of online grocery shoppers always stick to the same brands. Half (53%) of those surveyed felt that they switch between brands on a regular basis, presenting a huge opportunity for suppliers to encourage online grocery shoppers to switch to their products.

Price is a key driver in switching between brands and items but it's not the whole story. Recommendations, product pictures, search results and page positioning all have a role to play in encouraging online grocery shoppers to buy different (or indeed more) brands.

There is a potential to tempt shoppers with more offers and promotions, but only if done in a creative and seamless manner. Just a handful (10%) of online grocery shoppers feel that there is too much advertising going on when they shop online for food and drink items. It suggests that the majority of shoppers would be open to more advertisements, promotions or suggestions, as long as they are integrated in the right way and do not add to the perceived effort and time it currently takes to complete an online grocery shop.

The growth of online has the ability to impact the bottom line; fewer online impulse purchases means smaller basket sizes and a decrease in sales. But, these results also suggest that there is plenty of opportunity to influence these impulse purchases - understanding online consumers and knowing where, when and how will be key to selling more online.